Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT Rosa was ticking items off their scavenger hunt list while the other Diamond dorm girls held out their finds. Matilda and Pearl cantered into the centre of the group. "Oh, there you are, Matilda. We thought we were going to have to come back and get you. We've done really well– Freya found a six- petal daisy so now all we need is an orange leaf. If we find one quickly, we could win!" Rosa finished triumphantly. "Are you OK?" Violet asked, seeing Matilda's pale face.

"There was a cloaked figure. It chased us!" Matilda blurted out. The others frowned. "Really?" said Rosa doubtfully. "Is this one of your jokes, Matilda?" asked Ariana. "Because if it is, it's not very funny." "Yes, we haven't really got time to mess around now," said Freya. "Not if we want to get back before Valentina's team," added Violet. "I'm not making it up!" exclaimed Matilda. "It's true!" She told them everything that had just happened. She didn't leave anything out, even telling them the part when she'd not remembered to stay still and caused Pearl's glamour to collapse. "The chinchillas were brilliant," she added. "They stopped the person from chasing us." Ariana frowned. "You don't sound like you're teasing," she said, doubtfully. "I'm not!" said Matilda in frustration. Why

wouldn't her friends believe her? "Matilda is telling the truth," said Pearl, backing her up. "She must be!" spluttered Freya. "Look everyone!" She pointed at Matilda's hair. "Matilda's got a streak of pink and yellow in her hair. She's bonded with Pearl!" Matilda tipped her head forward and stared in surprise at the pink and yellow lock of hair, the exact same shade as Pearl's mane. Happiness rushed through her. Now the others would have to believe her! "Oh, wow!" said Rosa. "Glamour magic is so cool and useful, too." "Hang on," said Ariana anxiously. "If the story's true, shouldn't we be getting out of here? I can't imagine the chinchillas will be able to stop the person for long." "Shh!" said Freya, suddenly holding up her hand. "Can anyone hear that?" Immediately, everyone stopped talking and

listened. "Hoof beats. Oh no! They did follow us!" Pearl's ears flickered anxiously. "Quick everyone, gallop!" "Too late!" The golden-maned unicorn charged out from the trees, the hooded figure steering it straight towards the girls. Her voice, muffled by the cloak, was harsh and bitter. "This time I'll put an end to your medalling ways." Her unicorn stopped in a shower of sparks. Lifting its hoof, it stamped on the ground. The earth started to move, spiralling upwards into a mini tornado of glittering red and yellow sparkles. The tornado buzzed as it spun towards the girls. Then, suddenly, it broke apart.

"Hex hornets!" shrieked Matilda, as the huge, angry insects flew at the girls and the unicorns. They all scattered in alarm. Hex hornets would chase people for hours and gave terrible stings. The hex hornets reached Ariana and Whisper first. Whisper reared up in a panic and Ariana shrieked and tumbled off his back. As always, the island's magic formed a pink bubble around her, cushioning her fall so she wasn't hurt. But as the bubble carried Ariana safely to the ground, the hex hornets encircled Whisper, making it impossible for her to reach him. The figure cackled with laughter. "Time for a little binding spell, next, I think!" They began

to draw something from their cloak as clouds of hex hornets buzzed towards the other girls. Pearl whinnied and turned to bolt away. "Wait!" cried Matilda, looking back and seeing the others all being surrounded. "We can't leave them! Do something, Pearl. Turn into a tiger or something." "I can't," said Pearl, stopping. "I'm too tired for my magic to work." "You can do it!" said Matilda, leaping off Pearl's back and seeing the figure riding towards Ariana with a hand outstretched. "You're totally brilliant at everything!" "OK, I'll try." Pearl slammed her hoof on the ground. Sparks spluttered in the air and dissolved. The cloaked figure looked round and laughed scornfully. "Pathetic! You haven't got any magic that can hurt me." "You're the pathetic one, harming innocent creatures!" screamed Matilda. "Try again, Pearl.